Chicago holding town hall for police mental health responder pilot program

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago will be holding a town hall Wednesday to discuss a new mental health initiative.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot recently announced a pilot program where mental health professionals will team up with Chicago police officers to respond to certain calls.

The program calls for CD embedding a mental health professional in the 911 call center to assist in dispatching personnel

The program will be piloted in the 19th Police District, which covers the 1st, 2nd, 32nd, 40th, 46th and 47th wards.

Mayor Lightfoot's office and local aldermen including Daniel La Spata, Brian Hopkins, Andre Vasquez and James Cappleman will host a virtual town hall to discuss the co-responder alternative dispatch program at 6 p.m. on Zoom.